#DailyBloggingChallenge (203/250)

Have played with two time formats so far and need to probably adjust it a third time.

My findings so far:

• 20 min per gaming session is way too long
• 5 min per gaming session is way too short and almost always extended by another 10 min
• the break between each gaming session is currently at 2 h, which is too long for some games

Thus will need to adjust the #TimeLimit app on the various games instead of grouping them altogether.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (257/300)

#TimeLimit has the option to have parent categories. This eases the behavior over multiple child categories.

If we continue from the #MobileGaming example, they all have the same parent.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (258/300)

The parent category has stronger restrictions.

1. #MobileGaming is only permitted from 12:00 - 22:00.
2. During those times, the total gaming time permits only 2h.
3. There is the option to earn 5min extra time if one does 5min #PhysicalTraining session.

These general restrictions were also put on other engineered binging technology like mainstream #SocialMedia.

#TimeLimit

#DailyBloggingChallenge (259/300)

Over the last 60 days, I indirectly did a case study of one. I spent more than 240h #MobileGaming.

One good thing that I added halfway through is the access to #AudioBooks. These created the mirage that I was doing something semi-productive.

Sadly, in sessions that have the original intent of being just 10min, thus no need to put on a book, quickly becomes a multiple and thereby losing that time.

#productivity

#DailyBloggingChallenge (260/300)

The situation that cost the most #productivity potential is #MobileGaming during peak #motivation times.

These for me are before noon (12:00) and sometimes a second wave after 16:00. The 22:00 cut off is to remove any potential binging that would cut into #sleep.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (261/300)

The nice side effect is that the restriction puts me often in a state of #boredom. This is a blessing over a curse, since this opens the door for potential creativity.

These days one is constantly being bombarded with information to avoid being put in a state of boredom. Although one is constantly consuming content, many time one fails to scratch the curiosity itch.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (205/250)

There is one game that one surface is an #IdleGame, but in a more active way. Meaning one has missions where the units cannot be engaged with while en route. These missions last from anywhere of 30 s to 1 h. Thus the #TimeLimit app is adjusted to these properties and set as 15 min active followed by 1 h break.

This game is basically a time management game and it is #TrainStation2.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (206/250)

When looking at a lot of games, one way to keep the users actively engaged is to create seasons or events. These can both benefit the creator of opening another route of monetary incentive while potentially promising the user of more or better equipment.

Since these events are timed, one way to milk even more engagement is to offer rewards dependent off a ranking system.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (208/250)

When looking at apps that use external ads, I am a fan of offering a one time purchase to remove these ads.

To justify such a purchase, one should question how much the fee is, how many hours will one play and/or has played, how much is one’s hourly wage, and compare the fee to other day-to-day purchases that one doesn’t second guess like a #coffee or drink at the bar.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (209/250)

When comparing a #coffee or drink to an app fee, one questions the value of the beverage, which in the best case can give multiple hours of enjoyment for the next upcoming time frame. In comparison, an app can give this enjoyment across a larger time frame and can more easily be shared among users and locations.

It’d be ludicrous to play a #MobileGame, watch its ad while sipping one’s preferred beverage.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (210/250)

If that hasn’t been a good enough justification to purchase the ad-free of the app, another devious option is the thought that one is reducing the total milking the app can do onto oneself.

Let’s say the one time purchase is $K$ while neglecting the time needed to purchase. Now let’s say one uses the app daily for an hour and watches 10 x 2min ads with each paying 10% of currency.

From the hour of usage 20 min were used to watch ads, which generated 1 currency.

Generally speaking $K\in[5,15]$ which means approximately after one to two weeks one would have gotten the money’s worth of the purchase plus enjoyed ca 2 - 4 hours of app usage time.

Now if one has been using it daily over multiple weeks, one is unlikely to stop abruptly and thereby with the one time purchase won’t produce anymore income for the company.

On the flip side, no purchase means the company gets to continue to milk the user for ad impressions.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (211/250)

Now the company isn’t dumb and puts its purchase price $K$ that low. They justify the price based off of the mean/medium duration an user spends on the app, the amount of ads they have watched and how much it generated.

So if one knows one is an outlier in app usage, then it is better to purchase earlier than latter. Super users come by rarely and benefit the most from not being milked for ad impressions.